Paper yarn apparatus



y 8, 1963 K. HAMILTON 3,091,075

PAPER YARN APPARATUS Filed Jan. 22, 1962 FIG. 3

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ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,091,075 PAPER YARN APPARATUS Kenneth Hamilton, Amsterdam, N .Y., assignor to Mohasco Industries, Inc, Amsterdam, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed 32m. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,674 8 Claims. (Cl. 57-32) This invention relates to the production of paper yarn formed by twisting a narrow strip of paper about its longitudinal axis. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel means for applying a compound to the strip before it is twisted, the compound serving to keep the yarn flexible, so that it can be used without difliculty in weaving and knitting operations.

In the production of paper yarn by the usual methods, a web of paper drawn from a roll is slitted into a plurality of strips of a width appropriate for the formation of the desired yarn. The strips are separated and individually twisted into yarns, as they advance, and the respective yarns are then wound in-to packages. In order that the strips may be twisted tightly, it is customary to moisten the paper and this is done by applying moisture either to the web before it reaches the slitting means or to the strips before they are twisted. While paper yarn contains moisture so applied to the paper, it is flexible and can be readily manipulated in weaving and knitting operations, but, if the yarn dries out, it becomes stiff and unmanageable in such operations. The development of stiifness in paper yarn can be avoided by applying a small amount of a suitable compound to the paper, and a compound, which may be advantageously used, is a mixture of paraffin and Japan wax of a melting point substantially below 212 F.

The present invention is directed to the provision of means for applying to a strip of paper, which is to be twisted to form a yarn, a thin coating of a compound, which will keep the yarn soft and flexible during its fab rication by weaving and knitting operations. The new applicator device is simple in construction, effective in use, and capable of being controlled, so that it will apply the compound in varying amounts as required for different yarns.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing the applicator device of the invention together with associated parts of a paper yarn machine, on which it is used;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

In the drawing, the applicator device is illustrated as incorporated in the paper yarn machine disclosed in the Shuttleworth and Hamilton Patent 3,012,393, issued December 12, 1961. In the patented machine, the web of paper drawn from a supply roll is moistened and slitted into strips which then pass through individual guide tubes to twisting and winding mechanisms arranged in rows along opposite sides of the machine.

The strip S issuing from each tube 10 passes beneath a guide 11, which may be a waisted porcelain roller, and then travels through a guide trough 1 2 of V-shape. A shaft 13 extends lengthwise of the machine on each side and it carries a disk 14 aligned with each of the guides 12. The strip issuing from each guide 12 is led so that it travels across an end of the disk and, as the disk is of sub stantial thickness, the strip is diverted from its rectilinear path through the guide and passes over the sharp edge 14:: of the disk. The contact of the strip with the edge 14b tends to hold the strip flat and the strip advances with one of its faces in contact with the end surface 14b and with its lower edge in contact with the surface of the shaft.

N: 3,091,075 [Ce Patented May 1963 Beyond the disk 14, the strip passes through the usual pigtail guide =15 on a plate 16 hinged to the frame of the paper yarn machine and then travels through an anti-ballooning ring 17 mounted concentrically with a spinning ring 18 on a ring rail 19 extending along the side of the machine. The ring is provided with the usual traveler 20 through which the twisted strip or yarn passes on its way to the bobbin 21, on which the yarn is wound. In the operation of the machine, the rotation of the spindle carrying the bobbin and the drag of the traveler cause the strip to be twisted and the twist runs back through the guide 15 to the disk 14 and across the face of the disk to a point near the top of the shaft 13.

A casing 22 is supported adjacent each disk 14 by a bracket 23 attached to a frame member 24 of the yarn machine and the casing lies substantially at right angles to the plane of rotation of the disk and has one end close to the surface 14b of the disk. The casing is slotted longitudinally at its top and it receives a stick 25 of a coating compound. A follower plate 26 is mounted in the casing to bear against the outer end of the stick and it is attached to a cord 27 which extends through the slot and passes around a grooved pulley 28 carried in a bracket 29 attached to the casing. The cord extends around the pulley and is then led outwardly to pass around a grooved pulley 30 on a standard 31 attached to the casing near its outer end. The cord extends downward from the pulley 30 and carries a weight 32 which acts through the cord and follower to urge the stick of compound out of the casing and into contact with the end surface 14b of the disk. The casing is so disposed that the stick of the compound 'bears against the surface of the disk close to the shaft 13'.

A motor 33 mounted on the frame of the yarn machine is connected through gearing 34 to each of the shafts 13 and, in the operation of the machine, the shafts are driven to rotate the disks. As each disk turns, it receives a coating of the compound on an annular area 35 encircling and close to the shaft 13 and the shafts 13 are driven at such a rate that the surface speed of all parts of the annular area 35 on each disk is different from the surface speed of the paper strip traveling across the disk. Preferably, the surface speed of the annular area is greater than that of the strip and, because of the difference in surface speeds, the strip makes a rubbing contact with the annular area, which causes a coating of the compound applied to the annular area to be taken up by one face of the strip.

A compound, which has been found to be satisfactory for the purpose, is a mixture of five parts of paraflin and one part of Japan wax. The paraflin employed is such that the mixture has a melting point of F., although, during the summer months, it is preferable to use a compound having a melting point between F. and F. Such a compound adheres to the paper and remains in the yarn to keep the latter flexible during fabrieating operations. If the yarn is used in the production of a product, which is subjected to a drying operation at a temperature of about 212 F the coating compound will be driven from the product, after which the yarn, upon becoming completely dry, will be relatively stiff. An example of such a product is a tufted carpet, in which the backing sheet is made of paper yarn or in which a scrim woven or knitted of paper yarn is applied to the under surface of the carpet after a coating of latex has been applied to the under surface of the backing sheet to lock the tufts in position. When such a carpet is passed through the usual dryer, the coating compound applied to the paper yarn is expelled and, upon completion of the drying operation, the yarn becomes stilf so as to add to the stiffness of the carpet.

In the operation of the applicator, the amount of the coating applied to a paper strip may be varied by varying the difference between the surface speed of the strip and the surface speed of the coated annular area on the disk, from which the strip takes up the coated material. As the speed of the strip depends on the spindle speed, which is keep constant, the difierence in surface speeds mentioned may be effected by varying the speed of rotation of the shaft 1-3 carrying the disk.

I claim: I a

1. In a machine for making paper yarn, the combination of a rotary element, means for applying a coating of a solid compound to the surface of the element, means for advancing a strip of paper by twisting the strip into yarn and winding the yarn into a package, means for guiding the strip to cause it to travel with one face in contact with the coated surface of the element, and means for rotating the element at a rate such that its coated surface in contact with the strip travels at a surface speed different from that of the strip to transfer coating material to the strip by a rubbing action.

2. In a machine for making paper yarn, the combination of claim 1, in which the rotary element is a disk and the applying means applies the coating to an annular area on a flat surface of the disk, the area being concentric with the axis of rotation of the disk.

3. In a machine for making paper yarn, the combination of claim 2, in which the disk is mounted on a rotary shaft and the applying means applies the coating to an annular area on a flat surface of the disk, the area encirtion of claim 4, in which the support is a longitudinally slotted casing for holding a stick of the compound with one end bearing against the flat surface of the disk, a follower is disposed within the casing, a cord is connected at one end to the follower and passes through the slot in the casing, and a weight attached to the other end of the cord causes the follower to urge the stick of compound against the disk.

6. In a machine for making paper yarn, the combination of claim 1, in which the rotating means rotates the element at such a rate that its coated surface in contact with the strip travels at a higher surface speed than that of the sttrip.

7. In a machine for making paper yarn, the combinaspeed different from that of the strip to transfer coating 7 material to the strip by a rubbing action.

8. In a machine for making paper yarn, the combination of claim 7, in which the rotating means rotates the element at such a rate that its coated surface in contact with the strip travels at a higher surface speed than that of the strip.

References Cited in the file oftthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hamilton Sept. 17, 1946 Shuttleworth et al Dec. 12, 1961 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR MAKING PAPER YARN, THE COMBINATION OF A ROTARY ELEMENT, MEANS FOR APPLYING A COATING OF A SOLID COMPOUND TO THE SURFACE OF THE ELEMENT, MEANS FOR ADVANCING A STRIP OF PAPER BY TWISTING THE STRIP INTO YARN AND WINDING THE YARN INTO A PACKAGE, MEANS FOR GUIDING THE STRIP TO CAUSE IT TO TRAVEL WITH ONE FACE IN CONTACT WITH THE COATED SURFACE OF THE ELEMENT, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING THE ELEMENT AT A RATE SUCH THAT ITS COATED SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH THE STRIP TRAVELS AT A SURFACE SPEED DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF THE STRIP TO TRANSFER COATING MATERIAL TO THE STRIP BY A RUBBING ACTION. 